The present invention relates to cleaning compositions, and more particularly to a holder for a disposable cleaning pad containing a composition suitable for cleaning toilet bowls and the like.
Cleaning a toilet bowl is typically one of the most undesirable jobs for most persons. Nevertheless, toilet bowls must be kept clean in order to prevent sanitary problems, the potential for irritable smells, and the possibility of harmful bacteria buildup.
As a result, various types of bowl cleaning products are known. Such products typically fall within two categories, namely, cleaning by hand with a bowl cleaner or with automatic "in tank" or "in bowl" cleaners. Hand cleaning typically takes the form of a toilet cleaning brush or sponge. Such devices, however, are displeasing due to the excessive dripping therefrom, and because storage between uses is unsanitary. Also, there is no premeasured dosage with current bowl cleaning products. Most users just estimate the amount to use and potentially could use too little thus not achieving a disinfectant level, or too much thus increasing the cost per application. Additionally, bowl cleaning products are very toxic and present a potential safety hazard.
Automatic "in tank" or "in bowl" cleaners, which dispense a dosage upon flushing of the toilet, generally are not as effective as manual scrubbing. Therefore most consumers typically supplement such automatic cleaners with hand scrubbing and cleaning. Besides not thoroughly cleaning, "in tank" or "in bowl" cleaners have other disadvantages. For example, "clear water" type of cleaners give no indication when they are used up and need changing, and having to plunge one's arm into a toilet bowl and/or tank to retrieve spent containers is also unpleasant and undesirable. The "blue water" products are only cosmetic, and at best add a small amount of surfactant to the water.
Numerous types of cleaning compositions as well as holders for disposable cleaning pads are known in the art. Exemplary of such compositions and apparatus are those found in the following United States Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date Inventor ______________________________________ 4,619,710 1986 Kuenn et al 4,523,347 1985 Tames 4,031,673 1977 Hagelberg 3,413,673 1968 Gewirz 3,383,158 1968 LeLand 2,998,614 1961 Winch 2,877,483 1959 Alvistur 2,816,311 1957 Beck et al ______________________________________
None of the above patents, however, are directed specifically to a composition for cleaning and sanitizing toilet bowls, and although several of the above patents illustrate holders for disposable toilet bowl cleaning pads, there remains a need for an improved holder which permits easy attachment and detachment of a cleaning pad without having to touch the pad.